How to prevent and deal with creepy-crawlies in your home

Updated on 20th February 2018 by Lindsay Yap|

No home is free from pests, but putting in a little extra effort to safeguard your house from tiny unwanted guests can make a whole lot of a difference! Whether it’s preventing bed bugs, termites or even – gulp! – snakes, pest control expert Rentokil Singapore has plenty of handy hints for preventing and dealing with common household pests.

It’s high time to wash those dirty dishes!

#1 Rodents, cockroaches and ants

We’re pretty sure you’ve seen these little creatures scuttling about your house once in a while! The reason why they appear is because they’re attracted to food waste and spills.

Keeping them away:

Ensure you use a bin with a lid so pests won’t be able to locate food waste.

Remove any unwanted food and debris, and don’t leave food out in the open.

Practise good housekeeping such as storing food in airtight containers.

Seal all windows, doors, cracks and crevices.

Keep boxes off the floor and minimise clutter.

Need some help?

If you start to notice the problem a lot, call professional pest control to prevent an infestation.

#2 Bed bugs

Bed-bug infestations are typically caused by cross-infestation. It can be because of global travel, transferring on different modes of transportation or even cross-contamination when using second-hand goods or furniture.

Need some help?

As bed bugs are tiny, it’s easy to miss their hiding spots. Get professional help to remove them completely rather than using DIY methods that are less effective and have higher risk of recurrence.

Ensure your pooch is well-groomed

#3 Ticks and fleas

Pet owners take note! If you’ve noticed your fur-kids scratching themselves more often than usual, they might have ticks or fleas. These little creatures feed on blood to survive and can transmit diseases.

Keeping them away:

Vacuum your carpets, furnishings and upholstered furniture.

Groom your pets regularly with a flea comb and clean their beds weekly.

Invest in repellent for greater protection.

Need some help?

Seek treatment before the problem gets out of control. If not, you’ll be placing your pet and other animals in danger.

#4 Snakes

If you live in near a forested area or have a garden, there’s a higher chance of coming across snakes on your property.

Keeping them away:

Keep rodents away as snakes prey on them.

Keep grass short and trimmed.

Place fitting fences or walls around your home and seal up cracks to restrict entry points.

Remove clutter around the home, yard or garden to prevent snakes from settling in.

Need some help?

Stay away and don’t handle a snake on your own as it could retaliate if threatened. Call a pest control company for professional help.

#5 Termites

Termites, or white ants, chew and feed on wood. Over time, ceilings, walls and structures can get damaged, resulting in a risk of collapse.

Need some help?

Do not disturb or break any termite mud tubes as they will shift to another location when disturbed.

Get a pest control company to conduct a comprehensive termite inspection using heat technology to detect the presence of termites and exterminate them.

Check your flower pots for excess water regularly

#6 Mosquitoes

Singapore is no stranger to mosquitoes. They breed in stagnant waters in warm conditions and transmit critical diseases such as dengue and Zika.

Keeping them away:

Clear stagnant water to remove the breeding source.

Clear trash, piles of dried leaves and clutter in your yard or garden.

Keep your rooms cool.

Need some help?

While there are home remedies to repel mosquitoes, such as the use of lemongrass, it’s more crucial to eliminate breeding grounds. Get professional help to get rid of these, and you’ll reduce your chance of getting dengue (and of being fined by the NEA!).

From now until 31 December, 2018, enjoy 10 percent off all pest management services (with a minimum spend of $400). The redemption is one-time, valid for new customers and residential premises only. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other on-going promotions. Check with sales person/surveyor about card promotion usage prior to confirming the service.

About Lindsay Yap

Lindsay has an (un)healthy obsession with strawberries and a huge weakness for bags (who doesn't really?). When she's not pigging out on her favourite hawker food or catching up on sitcoms, she's dreaming of her next holiday!